Food Chains and Food Webs

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What is a food chain?

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A food chain is a linear sequence that shows how energy and nutrients flow from one organism to another in an ecosystem, starting from producers to various levels of consumers.

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What is a food web?

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A food web is a complex network of interconnected food chains in an ecosystem, illustrating how different organisms are related through feeding relationships.

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What are producers?

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Producers are organisms, like plants, that can make their own food through photosynthesis, serving as the base of the food chain.

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What are primary consumers?

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Primary consumers are herbivores that eat producers (plants) to obtain energy.

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What are secondary consumers?

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Secondary consumers are organisms that eat primary consumers; they can be carnivores or omnivores.

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What are tertiary consumers?

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Tertiary consumers are predators that eat secondary consumers, often at the top of the food chain.

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What is the role of decomposers?

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Decomposers break down dead organisms and waste, returning nutrients to the soil and making them available for producers.

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What is an example of a decomposer?

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Bacteria and fungi are common examples of decomposers.

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What is an omnivore?

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An omnivore is an organism that eats both plants and animals.

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What is a carnivore?

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A carnivore is an organism that primarily eats other animals.